Let Your Light Shine

Let Your Light Shine

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!” and as a kid, we would hold up our index finger while singing this song to show how our light shines. “Hide it under a bushel? No!” and we would shake away the other hand that was trying to hide our light.

As kids, mind you, we are all taught something about what we believe and we train ourselves to carry that belief into adulthood. Some kids take their training seriously! Some kids believe whatever they are taught and it boosts them into those grown-up years with an unshakeable faith. Whether it’s something good, or not so good.

Super Bowl LII just passed us by. I’m not a huge football fan. Friday Night Lights as a high school photographer got me to the sidelines and enjoying away games while riding the Cheerleader/Drill Team or Band bus. (Channelview Falcons)

The first time I truly remember anything about professional football was Super Bowl I, and it was played while I was in Junior High, and the 52nd was just last Sunday! Yes. I’m older than Super Bowl!

Back in my young adult years, I paid and lost attention to the Houston Oiler’s Earl Campbell (he’s my age!) and after the glitz and glamor were gone and we had moved from Texas to Alaska. Who, speaking of Alaska, has no NFL/AFL franchise. With a lot of transplants, there are many fans from across the country. You simply learn how to understand “team” colors before you talk sports with anyone! You never know how they will react!

For the most part, I care absolutely nothing about teams, players or coaches in whom I have no interest unless there is something about their personality, spirit, attitude or local flavor of culture that draws me in. I’m just saying, I may even become interested in a team that has no winning season if I were to move to their fair city. Let’s see. We’ve been in Washington right at 15 years and we’ve watched the highs and lows of our local franchise… Go ‘Hawks!

Every so often a name rises to the top and I’ll listen and read something about them. If they are interesting enough I may even follow their career for a while. Something about the Philidelphia Eagles caught my attention only after it came to light following their win. In fact, two days after they won some news started trickling out but no major national publication caught my eye. Until a Tweet this morning…

The Eagles QB, Nick Foles, is wanting to be a pastor to high school students after his career is over. He’s in training for his future, and probably the best purpose of life – he wants to let the light that is most important to him shine well into the future. He has a plan. Check it out at the Washington Post here.

Add more depth to the story and maybe you can understand how a Sunday sport can approach something a little spiritual for some. The Philidelphia Eagles coach is from Ferndale, WA, just north of me a couple of hours, right before you get to Canada! After the win he said, ”

“I can only give the praise to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity and I’m going to tell you something: I’ve got the best players in the world.” ~Doug Pederson

Finally. Nick Foles was a backup QB. He only played after the main QB, Carson Wentz, was taken out with a season-ending injury back in December. What do you think Carson would say? Gripe? Complain? Well. Think again.

“I know my God is a powerful one with a perfect plan. Time to just lean in to him and trust whatever the circumstances. #Proverbs 3:5-6”

All of this makes me think more positive about the Eagles since I never thought anything about them at’all before! You never know how “letting your little light shine” will touch other people around the world!

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV)